Roofing construction



Aug. 10, O J ROOFING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 10, 1937'. o. .1. KUHN ROOFING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE H TD 1? fix 7% ATiIZZS Patented Aug. 19, 1937 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 16 Claims.

This invention relates to a roofing construction comprising pliable shingles and pertains more particularly to the structure of the shingles and to the manner of laying the same, and is a 5 continuation in part of my pending application Serial No. 658,325, filed February 24, 1933, which, in turn, is an improvement over my pending applicatic-n Serial No. 613,362, filed May 27, 1932.

The roofing construction comprising this inii) venticn is composed of individual shingles fabri cated from sheets of suitable flexible waterproof material. The shingles are identical in construction and are laid in overlapping relation in successive courses.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide shingles of improved design whereby the liability of leakage of rain or snow through the lapping joints of adjacent shingles will be greatly reduced. In accomplishing this object, I have provided 2 shingles trapezoidal in form with a portion of one end edge extending diagonal to the longitudinal center of the shingle so as to incline downwardly toward the opposite end thereof.

The advantage obtained in this form of shingle resides in the fact that a gradual increase of side lap of each shingle from the bottom upwardly when they are laid in courses is obtained which causes the water, as rain, to more readily gravi tate from the end surfaces of the shingles.

Another object of the invention is to provide shingles in such form that they may be readily laid in any one of a plurality of difierent degrees of overlapping relation, both horizontally and vertically.

A further object of the invention is to provide the lower corner of the overlapping end of each shingle with underturned extensions adapted to underlie the adjacent portion of the next shingle of the same course for interlocking said over- 40 lapping portions of the shingles to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide said underturned extension with a nailing tab projecting beyond the adjacent portion of the diagonal edge of the shingle and which is adapted 5 to extend under the adjacent end of the next shingle of the same course.

A still further object resides in providing each shingle with novel means for effectively interlocking the intermediate portion of the butt end 50 thereof with the adjacent shingle, thereby providing triple means for securing the lower side of the shingle in position so as to prevent the shingle from being lifted by the wind or warping.

Yet another object of the invention is topro- 'vide the upper corner of the shingle adjacent the inclined end with a recess complementary to the extension and to otherwise construct the shingles so that they may be cut from a single sheet without substantial waste.

Yet another object resides in utilizing the extensions and their complementary recesses as gauges for determining the amount of side lap of adjacent ends of the shingles one upon the other.

Other objects and advantages relating to the specific form of the shingles and to the method of laying the same will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure l is a plan View of a plurality of my improved shingles mounted in cooperative relation to form a covering for a roof or similar surface.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on line 2-2, Figure 1, showing the intermediate lock.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of my novel shingles.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a portion of a sheet of roofing material showing the manner of cutting the shingles therefrom.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of adjacent shingles of a roofing construction illustrating my novel triple manner in which the shingles are secured at the lower or butt end thereof.

Figure 6 is a plan View similar to that shown in Figure 1 illustrating a modified form of my invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective View of one of the shingles shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a portion of a sheet of roofing material illustrating the manner in which the shingles illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 are out from a sheet of roofing material.

The shingles comprising the roofing construction illustrated in the drawings are, as hereinbefore stated, identical in construction and these shingles are preferably formed from a single sheet of flexible waterproof material such as felt or a similar tenacious fabric impregnated with asphaltum or equivalent waterproofing substance in which latter is incorporated a wearing surface of finely comminuted gravel or the like to better resist wear,

These shingles, as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and "I are made in the form of a trapezoid. Each of the shingles, as illustrated more particularly in Figures 1, 3 and 4, comprises a main fiat body portion I having its opposite longitudinal edges 1' and I" substantially parallel while its opposite end edges are disposed at an angle to each other, one of the end edges as 2 being straight and preferably disposed at right angles to the longitudinal edges of the shingle.

The other end edge as 3 is provided with an intermediate portion 3' disposed diagonally with reference to the longitudinal edges of the shingle, while the remaining portions of said end as 4 and t extend substantially normal to the opposite lengthwise edges of the shingle and, therefore, parallel with the opposite end 2.

The vertical portion 4 of the end 3 extends outwardly some distance beyond the other vertical portion 5 so that the diagonal portion 3' inclines upwardly and outwardly from the lower portion t and butt edge l away from the end edge 2 or in the direction of laying of the shingles of each course, as will hereinafter be more. apparent.

The lower right hand corner of each shingle is provided with a relatively long extension 5 normally projecting from the main body and extending along the lower edge from one end to substantially the center thereof and adapted to be folded inwardly beneath the adjacent portion of said main body I, as illustrated by broken lines in Figure 1, along a line as 5, Figure 3, substan tially parallel with the lower straight edge 6'.

When the extension is thus folded beneath the body of the shingle, it forms a groove 1 for the reception of the lower edge adjacent the end 2 of the next adjacent shingle of the same course and inasmuch as the length of the extension, as shown in the drawings, is substantially equal to or slightly less than one half the length of the lower edge of the shingle, it will be seen that the degree of overlapping of the adjacent shingles 1 in the same course may be varied as desired to an appreciable extent, that is, the amount of side lap of one shingle upon another in the same course, extends from a relatively short distance to nearly one half the length of the shingle so as to produce what may be termed a single-ply roofing or a double-ply roofing.

The extension ii is provided at its inner end adjacent the outer edge thereof with a longitudinally projecting interlocking tab 8 which, when the extension is in the folded position, will extendinwardly beneath the body 5 of the shingle toward the end 2 so as to extend beneath an abu ting portion of an underlying shingle of the next adjacent lower course as will hereinafter be more apparent. The extension 6 is also provided with a longitudinally projecting nailing tab 9 at the opposite end thereof and which extends outwardly from the adjacent portion of the end 3 of the shingle a distance substantially equal to the amount of undercut of the diagonal edge 5 so that when the extension 6 is folded under the main body of the shingle, the tab 9 will project beyond the adjacent end portion 3, as shown in Figure 1, with the outer end of the tab terminating in substantially the plane of the end portion As illustrated more clearly in Figure 4, in order that the shingles with the extension 6 thereon may be cut from a relatively large sheet without Waste, the extension 6 of each shingle is cut from the opposite corner of another shingle, thus providing the upper edge i of each shingle adjacent the end 3 with a recess ill complementary to the extension 6 and its interlocking tab 8 and nailing tab 9, as shown more clearly in Figure 3.. It, therefore, follows that the length of the recess it is equal to the length of the extension 6 plus the nailing tab 5 so that the inner edge as l! of the extension 5 and the inner end wall as H) of the recess it will be disposed in the same straight line parallel with the opposite end edge 2.

These portions l and it constitute gauges for determining the maximum amount of side lap of the adjacent ends of shingle of the same course upon each other.

The longitudinal wall of the recess IE! is also provided with a shoulder [2 intermediate the ends thereof as determined by the lower or outer edge of the nailing tab 9 where it contacts with the extension 6. This shoulder i2 is in a transverse plane which is spaced a short distance from'the end 3 of the shingle and is utilized as a gauge for determining the minimum amount of side lap of the adjacent ends of shingles of the same course upon each other.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the longitudinal wall as is of the recess IE, as shown in these figures, be provided with one or more notches or indicia l3 arranged in predetermined spaced relation between the shoulder l2 and inner end iii of the recess to form gauges by which an intermediate amount of side lap of the adjacent ends of th shingles of the same course upon each other may be determined.

It will, therefore, be seen that I have provided simple gauge means for determining the amount of desired side lap of adjacent shingles of the same course upon each other which will not detract from the appearance of the structure as a whole when the shingles have been laid, and whatever the amount of side lap of the adjacent shingles, it will be observed that the amount of side lap of one shingle upon the other will gradually increase from the bottom upwardly due to the upward and outwardly inclined edge 3 of the end 3.

It will also be noted that the end 3 of each shingle is provided with an interlocking notch l provided in the edge thereof at the junction of the upper end of the diagonal edge 3 with the vertical edge portion #5. This interlocking notch is for the purpose of receiving therein the inner end of the extension of an overlapping shingle of the next adjacent upper course and when so used determines the amount of head lap of the shingles of one course upon the shingles of the next lower adjacent course.

Further, it will be noted by referring to Figure 1 that the width of the nailing tab 8 is such that, when the extension and tab are in the folded position, the upper and inner longitudinal edge of the tab is spaced at substantially the same distance from the fold 6 of the extension as the interlocking notch I5 is spaced from the longitudinal side it of the recess if! so that the inner longitudinal edge of the tab will constitute a gauge adapted to align with the edge 53 of the underlying shingle of the next lower adjacent course for assisting in properly aligning the shingles longitudinally of a given course.

As hereinbefore stated, my novel shingles are adapted to be laid in courses from the bottom upwardly and those of each course are laid from the left hand toward the right hand side of the roofing or siding with their straight edge 1' lowermost and their opposite edges I" uppermost, thus bringing the end edge 2 of the shingle at the left hand side and the diagonal end 3 at the right hand side 6f each course.

It will, therefore, be seen that when laying the shingles to form a roofing or siding construction that the lower left hand shingle is first placed in operative position with its straight left hand edge 2 alined with the corresponding edge of the roof boards or underlying structure and its lower or butt edge i aligned with the corresponding lower edge of the roof or underlying structureafter which a nail as H is driven through the protruding end of the unfolded tab 9 as shown in Figure 1.

The opposite or left hand end of the shingle may be secured to the roof by inserting nails or other fastening means therethrough as desired. The next adjacent shingle of the same course is then brought into position by inserting the left hand end, that is, the end of the shingle adjacent the edge 2, under the right hand end of the first shingle with its lower longitudinal edge adjacent said end inserted in the groove 1 formed by the underfoiding of the extension 6 and then forcing the shingle toward the left under the first shingle until the upper corner of the shingle adjacent the edge 2 aligns with the shoulder l2 or one of the indicia H5 or end l of the recess ll] depending upon the degree of side lap desired of the shingles of the same course.

After the second shingle of the first course has thus been placed in operative position, a nail as 58 is driven through the first shingle intermediate the shoulder i2 and end portion 4 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1 and by full lines in Figure 5, and then through the underlying portion of the second shingle and into the underlying structure, thereby securing both shingles to each other and to the supporting structure after which a nail as i? is driven through the protruding nailing tab s of the second shingle and into the underlying structure.

In like manner, each successive shingle of the lower course is placed in operative position and secured in place along the entire length of the roof or siding.

Before laying the shingles of the next or second course, a short section, depending in length upon the amount of side lap of the shingles of the first course, of the right hand end of one of the shingles including the diagonal edge 3' and nailing tab 9, is secured by a nail I! or [8 to the outer surface of the left hand end of the first shingle of the first course in a manner which is well-known to those sldlled in the art to establish a beginning for the second course.

The first left hand shingle of the second course is then placed in operative position by first inserting the end portion adjacent the edge 2 beneath the short section with the lower edge thereof positioned in the recess 1 between the extension 6 and the main body of said short section.

The inner end H of the extension 6 is then brought into interlocking engagement with the notch id of the first shingle of the first course with the tab 8 extended beneath the said first shingle, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, by shoving the shingle toward the left, after which the first shingle of the second course is brought into proper alignment with the shingles of the lower course by registering the upper edge of the nailing tab 9 with the upper edge portion 13 of the second shingle of the lower course as illustrated in Figure 1, after which the shingle may be secured in place by driving a nail [8 through the upper portion of the relatively short section of the shingle between the edge l2 and the end edge i thereof after which a nail is driven through the nailing tab 9 of the first shingle of the second course and through the underlying portion of the second shingle of the first course, and thereby not only secure the first shingle of the second course in position but also further secure the second shingle of the first course to the underlying structure.

It is to be understood that the left hand end of the first shingle and the short section shingie of the second course may be additionally nailed or secured to the underlying structure as desired.

The second shingle of the second course is then placed in position by first inserting the left hand end thereof beneath the right hand end of the first shingle of the same course with its lower side adjacent the end 2 seated in the groove I formed by the underfolded extension 6, after which the inner end ll of the extension of said second shingle of the second course is brought into interlocking engagement with the notch iii of the second shingle of the first course and the shingle is then secured in position by nails or other suitable means in a manner hereinbefore described by first inserting the nail or the like through the first shingle of the second course intermediate the shoulder I2 and end t and then by driving a nail through the nailing tab of the second shingle and the underlying portion of the third shingle of the first course and thenrinto the supporting structure.

In like mann r, the succeeding shingles of the second course are laid and secured in proper alignment with each other and in proper overlapping relation to the shingles of the first course, these operations for the several courses being continued throughout the length of the roof.

It is, of course, understood that when the roofing is completed any protruding ends of the shingles beyond the ends of the roof will be cut off in alignment with the corresponding edge of A the roof or structure.

It will now be clearly understood that I have produced a shingle of simple, economical construction in that they are cut with practically no waste and may be rapidly assembled upon the roof in proper order without extra aligning means for the reason that provision is made for aligning the shingles of each course and those of the various courses, and that I have provid d a shingle that, owing to its peculiar formation, is securely fastened at three points along its lowermost or butt end, as more clearly shown in Figure 5. That is, each shingle is secured at one end by the nailing tab 9, as by driving a nail i! therethrough, at the opposite end thereof by its position beneath the next adjacent shingle at the left hand side thereof, and at a point intermediate these two end fastenings by he interlocking engagement of the end ii of the extension 6 with the recess l of the adjacent shingle of the next lower course and also by the engagement of the interlocking tab ii with the under surface of said shingle having the recess l5.

It will be observed that the amount of the side lap between shingles of the first course may be selected as desired, and that the side lap of shingles in the succeeding courses is determined wholly by the amount of side lap of the shingles of the first course. Further, it will be observed that the amount of the head lap between successive courses is fixed if the shoulders II are engaged in the notches it, but that this head lap may be varied within certain limits by engaging the shoulders H with a desired portion of the inclined end edges 3 of the shingles in the next lower course, in the manner more fully described hereinafter in connection with the modification shown in Figures 6, '7 and 8.

The structure shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 is quite similar to that shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4

and 5, except that the length of the underiolded extension 28 and complementary recess 2? in the structure shown in these views, is somewhat shorter than the corresponding extensions 6 and recesses it shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and that the interlocking tab 3 together with the indicia l3 shown in Figures 1, 3 and l are omitted, while the lower or butt edge as 22 of each shingle is provided with an abutting shoulder 23 spaced longitudinally from the extension 29. This abutting shoulder 23 is formed by cutting a complementary notch as 2d in the opposite side of the shingle adjacent thereto in the sheet as illustrated in Figure 8.

This shoulder is spaced a considerable distance from the inner end of the underfold 2t and it is adapted to abut against the outer end of the underiold 2% of the next adjacent; overlapping shingle as shown in Figure 4, which is provided with a shoulder 2B for this purpose. The manner of laying the shingles shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 is substantially the same as that described for the shingles shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, with the exception that instead of laying he shingles of the first course in one of a plurality of predetermined overlapping positions, the right hand shingle is pushed into underlying relation with the next adjacent left hand shingle until the shoulder 23 engages the forward end 28' of the underlying extension so that the disbetween said shoulder 22 and the left hand end 2 of the shingle determines the degree of side lap of the shingles in the same course.

Although I have not shown the interlocking recess i5 associated with the shingles of this group, the inner end as 2d" of the underlying extension 28 in the second and succeeding courses engage the diagonal portion 3 of the end 3 of the adjacent shingles oi the next lower courses for positioning the shingles of one course relative to the shingles of the next lower course in the same manner in which the shingles shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are positioned; and it is obvious that if desired, the interlocking notch i5 may be incorporated in the shingles of this group.

However, it will be readily understood that where the interlocking notch i5 is omitted, the shingles of one course may be readily positioned with different degrees of head lap with respect to the shingles of the lower adjacent course due to the fact that the end 28 of the underlying extension 2% will readily engage the diagonal edge 3 throughout its entire length.

This is also true of the shingles shown in Figures l, 2, 3 and that is to say, by omitting the notch is or making the head lap of the courses greater than that afforded when the inner end it of the underlying extension 6 engages the in terlocking notches it, an increased head lap may be obtained by having the inner ends of the extensions engage the diagonal edge 3 intermediate the position of the notches l5 and the lower end of said diagonal edge.

Although I have shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown, as various other changes in the form of the shingle and relation of the parts thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A substantially fiat shingle of substantially trapezoidal form and having its parallel edges arranged horizontally and one of its end edges" disposed at right angles to its parallel edges and. its other end disposed at an upwardly divergent angle to the rectangular end, and an underfolded nailing tab connected with one side edge only of the shingle and extending outwardly from said divergent end at one side thereof.

2. A fiat shingle of substantially trapezoidal form having one of its sides at one end extended outwardly beyond the body of the shingle and provided with a nailing tab projecting endwise beyond the adjacent portion or" the end edge, said tab being foldable along a line spaced outwardly from said side to extend under the main body for interlocking engagement with the underside of the adjacent portion of another shingle of the same course.

3. A flat shingle of substantially trapezoidal form having one end inclined outwardly at an obtuse angle to the lower side and said lower side adjacent said end provided with an underfolded extension having a nailing tab projecting beyond the adjacent portion of said end at the lower side thereof, said extension lying wholly within a line from the outer end of said inclined end perpendicular to said lower side or the shingle.

4. A flat shingle of substantially trapezoidal form having one of its sides at one end provided with an underfolded extension for interlocking engagement with the underside of the'adjacent portion of another shingle of the same course, said extension being provided with an interlocking tab extending laterally therefrom.

5. A flat shingle of substantially trapezoidal form having one of its longitudinal sides provided with an abutting shoulder intermediate the ends thereof for engaging the end portion of an adjacent shingle of the next lower course, and an underfolded interlocking member adjacent said shoulder ior engaging the underside of said shingle of the lower course and an adjacent shingle of the same course.

6. A shingle of substantially trapezoidal form having one of its end edges disposed at right angles to its parallel edges and its other end edge disposed at an upwardly divergent angle to the opposite end edge, said shingle being adapted to be laid with its parallel edges in alignment with the parallel edges of similar shingles in the same course and with its divergent end edge in overlapping relation with the rectangular end edge of an adjacent similar shingle in the same course, the lower side of said divergent end edge being provided with an underfolded nailing tab projecting beyond said divergent edge and being adapted to underlie the rectangular end of an adjacent shingle in the same course.

'7. A roof construction including a course of shingles having adjacent ends arranged in lapping relation, the end edges of the overlapping ends being inclined to the longitudinal center of the course, each lower side having its corner adjacent the overlapping end provided with a nailing tab folded under the lower side of the adjacent underlying shingle and projecting beyond the adjacent portion of the inclined end.

8. A roof construction comprising shingles laid in courses, the adjacent ends of the shingles of each course being arranged in lapping relation and the adjacent lengthwise edges of the shingles of the several courses being also arranged in lapping relation, the amount of lap being greater at the top than at the bottom, the lower side of the overlapping end of each shingle of each lit course being provided with an underfolded nailing tab projecting beyond the adjacent edge thereof.

9. A roof construction comprising shingles laid in courses, the adjacent ends of the shingles of each course being arranged in lapping relation and the lapping portion gradually increasing in width from bottom to top, the lower side adjacent the overlapping ends of the shingles of each course being provided with underfolded nailing tabs projecting under the adjacent underlapping ends of the shingles of the same course.

10. A roof construction comp-rising shingles laid in courses, the adjacent ends of the shingles of each course being arranged in lapping relation and the lapping portions gradually increasing in width from bottom to'top, the lower sides adjacent the overlapping ends of the shingles of each course being provided with underfolded extensions projectingunder the adjacent underlapping ends of the shingles of the same course, each extension having a nailing tab projecting beyond the adjacent portion of the end edge of the corresponding shingle.

11. A roof construction comprising shingles laid in courses, the adjacent ends of the shingles of each course being arranged in lapping relation, and the adjacent lengthwise edges of the shingles of the several courses being also arranged in lapping relation, the lower side of each shingle adjacent one end being provided with an underfolded extension for interlocking engagement with the underside of the. adjacent portion of another shingle of the same course, said extension also having a nailing tab at one end projecting beyond the adjacent portion of said shingle and a locking tab at the opposite end thereof adapted to extend underneath the adjacent underlying shingle of an adjacent course.

12. A roof construction comprising shingles laid in courses, the adjacent ends of the shingles of each course being arranged in lapping relation, and the adjacent lengthwise edges of the shingles or the several courses being also arranged in lapping relation, the lower side of each shingle adjacent one end being provided with an underfolded extension for interlocking engagement with the underside of the adjacent portion of another shingle of the same course, said extension having a locking tab adapted to extend underneath the adjacent underlapping shingle of an adjacent course.

13. A roof construction comprising shingles laid in courses, the adjacent ends of the shingles of each course being arranged in lapping relation, and the adjacent lengthwise edges of the shingles of the several courses being also arranged in lapping relation, the lower side of each shingle adjacent one end being provided With an elongated underfolded extension for interlocking engagement with the. underside of an adjacent portion of another shingle of the same course, said end of the shingle having an interlocking element adapted to receive the inner end of said underfolded extension of the overlapping shingle of an adjacent course.

14. A roofing construction as in claim 13 where in the underlying extension is provided with a tab extending beneath said overlapping shingle of the adjacent course.

15. A roof construction comprising shingles laid in courses, the adjacent ends of the shingles of each course being arranged in lapping relation and the adjacent lengthwise edges of the shingles of the several courses being also arranged in lapping relation, the lower side of each shingle adjacent one end being provided with an underfolded extension for interlocking engagement with the under side of the adjacent portion of the succeeding shingle of the same course, the length of said extension being equal to substantially one-half the length of said lower side of the shingle whereby the degree of the side lap of the shingles of the same course may be varied from a relatively short portion of the length of the extension to the full length of said extension to provide either a single-ply roofing or a double-ply roofing, and whereby said extension will have interlocking engagement with said second shingle the full length of said side lap whether a singleply roofing or a double-ply roofing is formed, and a tab provided on said extension extending beneath an adjacent shingle of the next preceding course.

16. A roof construction comprising pliable shingles fabricated from a sheet of Water-proof material, said shingles being arranged in courses in over-lapping relationship with the shingles of each course adjustable in side lap relative to each other to produce either a single-ply roofing or a double-ply roofing, the lower side of each shingle having an abutting shoulder arranged substantially midway between the ends thereof for engaging the end portion of an adjacent shingle of the next lower course whereby the forward end of each shingle will terminate short of the adjacent end of the shingle of said next lower course following the one engaged by the shoulder irrespective of whether a single-ply roofing or a double-ply roofing is formed, the lower side of each shingle being provided with an under-folded extension for interlocking engagement with the. under side of the adjacent portion of the second shingle of the same course, and a laterally projecting tab provided on the extension extending beneath an adjacent shingle of the next preceding course.

OTTO J. KUHN. 

